Email is everywhere. Continued internet access through mobile, deepened by the changes in pandemic and post-pandemic marketing, means it’s not going anywhere, either. So, what elements do you need to build into your email marketing strategy? Let’s explore the trends that we can look forward to in 2022 and beyond.

1 Welcome the new data economy

Data privacy is changing, with the removal of third-party cookies by Google and the option to increase email privacy with Apple, which has in turn affected how Facebook tracks people’s online activity. The iOS 14 update now sends a pop-up asking users if they want Facebook or Instagram to be able to track their online activity, which they can decline, meaning that paid media ads have less visibility and impact. We’re entering a new era where first-party data – information you collect directly from your customers or clients and own, such as partnerships, events, competitions, testimonials and reviews – is key to gaining insights for your digital marketing. That’s why 2022 should be the year you begin to own your audience and make sure your marketing helps you to collect data directly from your customers or clients. Use your findings to create tailored offers, social media content and email newsletters. Also, one-on-one communication with your newsletter readers is key. Encourage replies and, when a reader sends you a message, write back and gather killer data directly from the horse’s mouth.

2 Embrace email automation

While we’re on the subject of data, sending automated emails wouldn’t be possible without it. Whether it’s a new subscriber joining your list or buying something, you need data to trigger the correct email. And that’s where email automation comes in. Automation saves time, and enables you to set up automated sequences to send crucial messages to customers when they sign up for a newsletter, make a purchase or leave something in their cart. Welcome to the ‘drip’ email campaign – a flow of pre-planned, automated messages to existing and prospective clients to encourage interaction and sales. I created my latest ‘drip’ campaign with marketing automation platform Klaviyo. I sent several short, sweet and succinct emails to:

  • Welcome new leads, and show them that I care
  • Highlight what I have to offer and what they can expect from me while they are still newly interested
  • Regularly keep in touch with prospective clients without having to spend large amounts of individual time on each client
  • Nurture leads that will lead to sales
  • Edit and update the content of my emails so each client receives information relevant to them.

3 Harness the power of lightbox pop-ups (but don’t go OTT!)

At the heart of any good email strategy is list growth. And a lightbox pop-up might be just the tool to boost that growth. Lightbox pop-ups are modules that take over a browsing window with a specific call to action (CTA), such as to download a piece of content (I offer a free guide to digital marketing trends in 2022 – sign up for yours here), subscribe to a newsletter or receive a discount. Use the number of clicks you get on to the pop-up’s link or examine the difference in your subscriber rates as a metric to measure success. Warning! Remember your user experience. Don’t make your pop-up like an annoying flashy ad – keep it useful, simple and friendly (but not pushy).

Regularly revamp your email marketing strategy to stay up to date with all the latest trends and it’ll be the gift that keeps on giving. Let me show you how to stay ahead and connect to the right people by elevating your email marketing. Book in a free 30-minute discovery call here.

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